How Hard Can It Be?
by Cheann de na thit
Summary: Well who would have thought, the know-it-all doesn't have the answer, but he does!eventual dramione but there are other pairings
1. Chapter 1

The long awaited letter arrived with the normal equipment list and regulations, making the crumpled buff envelope bulge more than usual.

Just a few lines written in neat script, but so important. I was proud of myself; this is exactly what I had wanted, what I had studied so hard for. Finally, I was Head Girl.

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_I am delighted to inform you that you have been chosen to fulfil the position of Head Girl this year. Please report to the Head's compartment on the Hogwarts Express to brief the prefects in their duties (patrolling the corridors). I trust you and the new Head Boy will be courteous to each other._

_Yours sincerely,_

_Professor Dumbledore (Hogwarts Headmaster)_

The doubts didn't come until after I had told Harry and Ron. I had always just assumed that Harry would be Head Boy but... he wasn't and my over-active mind involuntarily flicked through all the possibilities. The range of choice was not great. I would either be stuck with some obnoxious Ravenclaw, a kind but annoying Hufflepuff like Ernie or... as soon as that thought entered my head I knew who the Head Boy was. There was no competition.

The last cryptic sentence of the Headmaster's letter now made sense, it was a warning to me to put our rivalry behind us and carry out my duty to the school without any silly arguments or, in our particular cases, duels.

Well, there was no harm in trying; I just want to survive this year sane.

xXx

On the train

I know we get our own compartment and everything and I am not normally one to be upset about the privileges of success, but I would rather be having a divination lesson with Trelawney than be sitting here right now. Man is he a... uh, calming thoughts Hermione, _calming_ thoughts.

He obviously hadn't given a thought to who would be Head Girl, probably only fantasizing about a tanned, bleached blond with legs up to her shoulders and baby blues eyes containing a worshipping look, and was not happy to find me, rather plain with brown bushy hair, brown eyes and the attitude of a Grizzly bear. His face when he walked in was classic though; I had to hide a sudden fit of giggles behind my book. He looked so horrified to find me, the school know-it-all, the bucked-toothed beaver. Luckily for him he didn't say anything to me; otherwise I would have had to have cursed him, not something I wanted to do on my first day as Head Girl; just swung his trunk into the rack above the seats and his owl beside it, then stalked out, in all probability looking for his friends so he could complain.

The next time I saw him was at the prefect meeting on the train. He just sat there looking sulky and glaring out the window. I coped without him anyway - I mean, why I would ever need him to help me I don't know, but still...

I quickly briefed the prefects in their duties, and then went on patrol down the carriages. At least there were some good prefects this year - Ginny, Ron and Luna - but not Harry, he was still Quidditch captain for Gryffindor. Anyway, back to the point - the new Head Boy was an unhelpful, insufferable...ferret.

xXx

After the sorting and the feast Professor Dumbledore showed us to our own quarters. They were near to his office, hidden by a portrait of an old knight. The password was not too bad compared to some of the Gryffindor ones...fortitude.

I could not stop my gasp as the portrait swung forward and we stepped through into the room. It was large with cream furnishings and thick rugs underfoot. A fire was burning happily in the traditional Hogwarts fireplace; placed around it were several armchairs, similar to those in the Gryffindor common room, and a sofa. There were also two desks, each with their own chair, situated near to the large window which looked out over the lake. Despite the airiness of the room it still had that cosy, homelike feeling like the rest of the castle. I loved it.

There were three large oak doors coming off this room, one leading to his room, one to the best room so far - a kitchen fully stocked with snacks and cocoa - and the last to my room. This had another door leading into the shared bathroom; his room seemed to be a mirror image of my own, complete with large bed, wardrobe and dressing table. I only got a quick glance as by this time Dumbledore had left us, saying if we had any problems he would be in his office and that he liked gumdrop buttons. As soon as Dumbledore had left, _he_ had stormed to his room and slammed the door, completely ignoring me - which was strange. Normally he would not pass up the opportunity to insult me and call me Mudblood; maybe I was getting to him.

Or he had actually grown a heart over the summer?

Never mind; what did I care about Malfoy, as long as he left me alone? I just warmed up some milk for myself and took it off to bed, wanting to get an early night before the first day of school.


	2. Chapter 2

**Authors ****note: got this up faster than I thought I would, you lucky people! The next chapter will most likely be up on Saturday. Hope you like, and please please review it makes me feel so happy and thank you to all those who reviewed or helped me in some way, you know who you are! Well here you go...**

**Disclaimer: I don't anything here except the plot**

I was up early the next morning, having had a good night sleep. I walked into the kitchen in my pale blue pyjama shorts and top, only pausing to put some thick striped socks on my feet and to pick up my empty glass. My hair was all rumpled and messy, worse than usual, but I left it down so that it framed my face. I placed the glass in the sink and washed it out with warm water; after placing it back in its cupboard I stifled a yawn, stretched and turned to go to the bathroom. He was in the doorway staring at me as if I was some sort of alien, his gaze piercing. Shaking his head he stood aside to let me past. I ran into the bathroom and locked both doors. I could still hear him rummaging in the cupboards as I stepped into the shower, trying to calm myself.

Boy had he looked hot.

Okaaay I did _not_ just think that…but those black boxers and unbuttoned shirt really showed how tall and muscled he was. And his blond hair had fallen into his eyes making my hand itch to push it back…no Hermione no. We do not think of the Head Boy like that, it is highly unprofessional and besides... remember who it is.

I busied myself by having a quick shower and drying my hair magically, pulling it into a rough ponytail. By the time I had dressed in my robes, some locks had already fallen out. Grabbing my school bag, I rushed to the Great Hall to meet Harry and Ron. I found them sitting with Seamus and Dean chatting about Quidditch; the Gryffindor try-outs were that weekend. Ginny was sitting close to Harry holding his hand tightly under the table. As I sat down opposite them the boys chorused their "Hello's" before continuing with their conversation. Ginny just rolled her eyes at their antics. I ate in silence with my head bowed. I kept feeling stares from across the hall but I did not dare look in case I caught their eye. I was pretty sure who it was but, for once, I didn't want to be proven right.

Fortunately Professor McGonagall came round at that moment with the timetables and the staring stopped.

Ron stared in shock at how full my timetable was. Did he honestly think I would take fewer subjects just because I was Head Girl? The idiot!

I have to admit I was going to be studying a lot to keep up in all my N.E.W.T's but then I enjoy studying, so I tell myself, and it won't be much of a change anyway.

After shovelling down my breakfast I seized my already overfull bag and ignoring their moans, dragged the boys off to our first lesson; Potions, luckily with Professor Slughorn.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/n: sorry, i know it's late but only by one day, can you forgive me enough to send me lots of lovely reviews *pleading look*?**

**Loads of hugs for my wonderful beta TheBeautyOfTheGrave, you are truly amazing xx**

**Oh and a little warning i think Draco might be slightly OOC here, it just so hard to write him hating Hermione!**

**Disclaimer: doesn't belong to me.**

* * *

It was hard to get through the day we were to get the train without thinking of her. I knew who was going to be Head Girl by the end of the first year and it wasn't anyone in Slytherin. I had been shocked when I walked into that compartment but not from seeing her there as she obviously thought, judging from her barely suppressed mirth. No, walking in and seeing her appearance had been similar to being hit by a train.

She had looked…almost…pretty, especially when she saw my expression and giggled.

I tried with everything I was to stop my face from showing any emotion so as not to bring shame to my family name; even though my father had died in the war, I was still a Malfoy and I _must_ live up to that name. All my years of practise could not stop my reaction then though; she had changed so much over the summer, becoming more womanly- but not in the overt way that Pansy was, in her own subtle Hermione way - her clothes hinted at curves hidden from view and her hair fell freely around her shoulders, framing her oval face. I did the only thing I could, throwing my suitcase and owl into the rack and stalking off to talk to Blaise and Pansy.

During the prefect meeting I studiously avoided looking at even her reflection in the window, leaving her to deal with everything; she could cope with it. I could feel her resentment of me for not helping but I just ignored her, otherwise I would have done something to ruin both my family's reputation and my power within school.

xxx

I was impressed by our living quarters, they were a fair size for just two people and we had a kitchen. On the downside we had to share a bathroom and a common room but then one of us could always retreat to our bedrooms - that one would not be me.

I got away from her as fast as I could even before the bumbling old coot had made it to the door, having not taken anything in, just absorbed in her childish reaction. She was affecting me just by standing there, her eyes slightly dazed at the rooms before her. She looked adorable and innocent.

What had gotten into me? I was being turned on by a dirty little mudblood. I must not think of her in any other way, she is beneath my notice unless to insult.

Yep that ought to do it, tell yourself off why don't you.

XxX

Waking up the next morning was hard. I had been tossing all night and must have only gotten an hour's worth of completely undisturbed sleep. I heard Granger get up and thought maybe I should too as I knew I would not go back to sleep. On silent feet I went to the kitchen to get some coffee, only to freeze in the doorway, my promises to myself last night forgotten.

She was placing a glass back in the cupboard clad only in some indecently short shorts and a t-shirt which had risen up - revealing firm, lightly tanned skin. Her hair was tousled from sleep and her movements were slow, as if she had just awoken. In truth she looked delectable. [Fwee :3]

Not that I would ever tell _anyone_ that.

Then, stifling a yawn, she turned and started at the intensity of my stare. I shook my head to clear it of those unwanted thoughts and stood aside to allow her exit from the kitchen, unable to do much else. Getting my coffee, I waited until I heard her vacate the bathroom. By the time I was ready she was gone.

In the Great Hall I could not stop staring at her, she looked so serene and peaceful amidst all the playful banter, head-bowed to her plate. I didn't eat much breakfast, too caught up in watching her and avoiding Pansy. I snapped out of it when Professor McGonagall gave me my timetable. It was nice to be able to see free periods set throughout the week rather than having lesson after lesson. I knew those free periods would all too soon be filled with studying and homework. Not that I cared, I would just pay someone to do the work for me.

xxx

Ugh, Pansy is so annoying. She actually seems to think I am going out with her and we are going to get married and have lots of lovely pureblood children. I don't think even my father would make me go that far to save our pureblood heritage. She makes my skin crawl. For example, right now she is flashing me this grimace that she obviously thinks is sexy and alluring but well... you get the picture, it's Pansy for goodness sake.

Okay she is seriously putting me off my breakfast now (toast drenched in chocolate sauce, if you were wondering XD). I got up from the table, muttering something about heading to my first class to Blaise, who was also looking at the demented girl beside me with horror, and swaggered from the hall.


End file.
